If you have been keeping up with the meta (I haven't, to be honest), apparently Iron Hands have been dominating the current meta. In just...a couple of weeks. I don't know where I heard this from, probably Facebook or something, but they have been getting over 74% win-rates against all other factions (excluding mirror matches). The top four winning lists in some tournament were all Iron Hands. The top list in Best Coast Pairings is also Iron Hands. I think some Swedish tournament was also won by a player fielding Iron Hands. If I'm not mistaken, I saw the information on the Frozen North Gaming Community on Facebook, amidst various sources (Bell of Lost Souls comments section and I think Abe or somebody wrote an entire article on it too).
I honestly don't know what's going on here, but I've been hearing all sorts of different lists float around. On Reddit or Spikeybits, it was the triple Repulsor Executioner lists, supported by Stormtalon gunships. And then on Bell of Lost Souls, they have tons of Invictor Tactical Warsuits and Redemptor Dreadnoughts, and there's one that featured lots and lots of infantry instead of the Repulsor Executioner. So I'm not really sure what makes the Iron Hands so strong and dominant. I'm not a tournament player, and honestly, I suck at the game, so I'm the wrong person to ask for analysis.
Nonetheless, I can give you a rundown of the nerfs Iron Hands received a couple of weeks after their release.
1. The Iron Father dude (I don't have him because I'm using a Successor Chapter) has an ability, Rites of Tempering, that used to give everyone a 5++ invulnerable save as long as they are within 6" of him, including vehicles. Now that ability has been nerfed to infantry only - in other words, your vehicles such as the Repulsor Executioner or Redemptor Dreadnoughts castle no longer benefit from getting his 5++ invulnerable save.
2. Ironstone has been nerfed. Instead of all vehicles within 3" of the bearer, you select only one vehicle within 3" and he gets the -1 damage (to a minimum of 1 damage) buff.
3. March of the Ancients can only be used once per battle. It's the Stratagem that makes one of your Dreadnoughts a Character, and gives him +1 Attack and +1 Leadership. What, were people spamming this Stratagem or something?
4. The cost of Souls of Iron have been raised from 1 Command Point to 2. For those of you who don't know what that is, it basically allows you to Deny the Witch on a 4+ (roll a single D6) after any Deny the Witch attempt.
5. Optimal Repulsion Doctrines have also been raised from 1 Command Point to 2. That's the one that allows you to fire overwatch on a 5+, but if you already have the Flesh is Weak Chapter Tactic that allows you to fire overwatch on a 5+, now your overwatch hits on a 4+. Yay! I have no complaints, I was spamming this Stratagem in my game against Thousand Sons yesterday.
6. Machine Empathy has been nerfed, so your Techmarine can't repair a model that has already been repaired that turn. So no repairing that Repulsor Executioner or Leviathan Dreadnought twice in the same turn!
7. Reforge has been nerfed somewhat, same as Machine Empathy Stratagem above. It's the psychic power that allows you to repair your vehicles, but now it has been nerfed so you can't repair a vehicle that has already been repaired. No stacking of repairs!
Oh, and now your Dreadnought that has become a Character with the March of the Ancients Stratagem can have a Warlord Trait! WOOHOO!
What do you think of these nerfs? Do you think it will rein in the power of Iron Hands and stop them from being dominant? I hope so too, otherwise nobody will want to play against my Steel Dragons!
It will probably serve to reduce their effectiveness a little, which, in my opinion, seems more based on the simplicity of obtaining immediate benefits while maintaining the devastator doctrine active ... like you, however, I do not participate in tournaments and play lists for the fluff plus what else, so my opinion is valid up to a certain point (even if I have the descendants of Manus as a loyalist chapter, as a contrast to my beloved Word Bearers)
ReplyDeleteThat's very interesting! I can see the rivalry, but I'm surprirsed you did Iron Hands descendants instead of Ultramarines as a contrast to Word Bearers. I always thought the rivalry was Iron Hands versus Emperor's Children and Ultramarines versus Word Bearers (aside from the Imperial Fists versus Iron Warriors, Thousand Sons versus Space Wolves). Very cool!
DeleteBut yeah, the sheer firepower I can put out, not just from the first turn but for three turns is just insane. Actually, the first turn is mitigated by positioning, because my opponent is usually smart enough to keep his guys out of range, and most of my Steel Dragons are 36". It's only when they start zipping across the table and getting within range that the devastating firepower actually comes into play.
I liked the idea of a chapter that proves a cold hatred tempered by logic, ready to face the burning hatred fueled by the fanaticism of an ancient legion ... then it opened the possibility of crossing with other armies of mine and of my friends / family . However a lot depends on the builds of the lists ... if you don't exceed in combo, you don't become "that guy" against which nobody wants to play.
DeleteCool! I can't think of any combos, though. I just play what I like, ha ha.
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